Giant

Project Riese, the codename for the largest mining and construction project of Nazi Germany, was carried out between 1943 and 1945 in the Owl Mountains and around Książ Castle. The investment covered a vast area, including numerous towns, where tunnels were dug and underground chambers were built, reinforced with concrete linings. The entire complex was equipped with road, rail, telecommunication, and water supply infrastructure. Documents from the Third Reich indicate that a significant portion of the structures remain undiscovered to this day, fueling numerous myths and conspiracy theories, including hypotheses about alleged work on Wunderwaffe, Germany's next-generation weapons. The project aimed to relocate strategic arms production to the safe Sudeten region in response to Allied bombings. To carry out this endeavor, the company Industriegemeinschaft Schlesien AG was established, which utilized thousands of prisoners, mostly Jews, from labor camps set up near the construction sites. Mortality among the workers was extremely high due to harsh conditions, malnutrition, and the brutality of the guards. Although massive in scale, the project was left unfinished, and many structures were destroyed before the end of the war. Książ Castle and its surroundings were intended to serve as one of Hitler's headquarters, with underground tunnels connecting various buildings, and the construction work left behind ambiguous architectural evidence. Interest in Project Riese continues to grow, and the region attracts tourists and researchers seeking the secrets of World War II. In 1995, a tourist route was opened in the "Rzeczka" complex, and access to other sites, such as Włodarz or Osówka, allows visitors to explore this fascinating yet dark history. The project remains the subject of speculation regarding its true purpose, with various interpretations suggesting that work on military technologies, including nuclear ones, may have taken place here. Another interesting fact is that many of the structures have found new life as tourist attractions, drawing history enthusiasts and lovers of military installations.